Folding pull toy



Dec. 4, 1951 s BOLGER 2,577,102

FOLDING PULL TOY Filed March 5, 1951 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs 2,577,102 FOLDING PULL TOY Paul S. Bolger, Forest Hills, N. Y. Application March 5, 1951, Serial No. 213,947

4 Claims. (01. 46204) i This invention relates to a wheeled pull toy for children and is particularly concerned with certain improvements in a type of train pull toy in which the component elements may be pyramided upon each other and supported in rolling engagement on the wheels of other elements of the toy.

Prior to this invention, toys have been developed in which rotating members were supported by each other in successive tiers, the rotational direction of the members of each successive tier being opposed. Certain of the prior toys had a lower carriage in which the ground contacting rotatable members were axially fixed in spaced relation but the succeeding tiers of members were unconnected and merely held in place by gravity. It was necessary to provide flanges at the ends or faces of the rotatable members to arrest the lateral or axial movement which would result in displacement of the unconnected rotatable members in the upper tiers.

One of the particularly attractive features of this type of toy is achieved by providing orna-' mentation on the rotating members to emphasize the counter-rotational effect of the several tiers. Such ornamentation is particularly effective on the faces or ends of the rotating members where the counter rotation of the tiers is most marked because of their juxtaposition. However, when flanges are used, as was necessary in the devices noted, portions of faces of the rotating members of each tier were obscured.

In addition the unconnected members would become dislodged easily in play and would be mislaid.

Other devices have been made in which the members were articulated by links connecting their several axles, the links extending along the faces or ends of the rollers so that the counter rotational efiect was almost completely obscured. In certain of these devices the links were not formed with slots to permit theaxles of successive members to move toward each other to permit the peripheries of the rotating members to frictionally engage. Therefore, when some of the rollers were folded upon others in pyramid fashion, the upper tiers of rotatable members would not be properly actuated to provide the desired counter rotational eflect because the links maintained adjacent rollers out of frictional contact. In other devices, where the links between the rotational members were provided with slots, the slots were provided at only one end of each link so that when the toy was pyramided the axle movement was all at one end of each link. Therefore, if the space between the links was more than the radius of the rotating members, when the axles were spaced apart, the link would drag on the ground when the rotating members were brought into frictional engagement in the pyramided position. Furthermore, in such devices, there was no means of preventing the rotating members from moving into frictional engagement when the toy was in the open train position in which the wheels should be maintained in equally spaced relationship to each other to provide a symmetrical efi-ect.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which all the parts of the toy may be connected so that the faces or ends of the rotatable members are visible at all times and in which the rotatable members may be positioned upon each other in a plurality of arrangements or may be arranged in an equally spaced train.

Another object of the invention is to provide linkage means connecting the several component 7 parts of the toy to maintain the rotating members in substantially equally spaced relation when they are arranged in a train in which all the members are in contact with the ground, or floor, and to permit certain ofthe rotating members to move into frictional contact when they are positioned upon each other.

A still further object is to provide a toy of simple construction in which all the component parts are connected together so that they may not become mislaid and which is articulated to produce various pleasing effects.

The invention includes a wheeled'pull toy having at least two flat carriages supported by pairs of wheels having equal axial spacing, the carriages being linked together in a train and being adapted to be folded on each other and supported in spaced relation by the wheels of one carriage engaging the Wheels of the other, each successive carriage having one less pair of wheels than its predecessor in the train. The linking means maintains the wheels of adjacent carriages out of contact when they are arranged in a train and permit the wheels to move into frictional contact when one carriage is folded upon the others. This is achieved by providing two substantially co-planar slots adjacent the ends of the linking means each to receive an axle 3f wheels at adjacent ends of successive carriages; when the axles are positioned at the remote ends of the two slots, the peripheries of the wheels of said carriages are spaced apart, and, when the axles are positioned in the adjacent ends of the slots, the peripheries of said wheels are in contact, Abutments are provided to engage the linking means which are horizontal when the carriages are arranged in a train to maintain the axles near the remote ends of the slots. The carriages are formed with openings to permit the axles to move to the adjacent ends of the slots when linking means are moved out of the horizontal position.

In the following more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a toy device embodying the invention, with the carriages of the toy in the unfolded train position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the toy taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another side elevational view of the toy taken with the carriages in the folded or pyramid posit on;

Fig. 4 is a detailed side view with parts in section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. l.

The toy includes a train of carriages II], II and I2 which may be substantially fiat and may be made of wood. plastic, metal or other suitable material. Solid wooden carriages have been found to be quite satisfactory.

The carriages Ill, I I and I2 may be provided with suitable parallel channels I3 in which axles I5 may be received. Each successive carriage may be provided with one less axle than its immediate predecessor in the train, e. g., carriage I has three axles I5, carriage II has two axles, and carriage I 2 has one axle.

Each axle I has a pair of wheels mounted thereon. Wheel pairs I6, I! and I8 are mounted on the axles of carriage Ill, wheel pairs 2|! and 2| are mounted on axles I5 of carriage II and the pair of wheels 22 are mounted on the axle of carriage I2.

The axles I5 may be wooden dowels or metal shafts as desired and the wheels may be formed of wood, plastic or any suitable material. The wheels may be fixed on the axles I5 or arranged for free rotation about the axles. In the former case, the channels I3 through the carriages should be sufiiciently large to permit free rotation of the axles.

The wheels may be of any desired dimensions and may be of various sizes, however, for purposes of illustration, all the wheels are shown as having the same diameter. Wheels having relatively wide treads or peripheries are preferable for they give greater stability to the toy, as Will be more fully explained below.

The carriages I0, I I of the train are connected by the link 23. Carriages I! and I2 are connected by link 25 which, as shown, is integral with carriage I2. However, the link 25 may be separate similar to the link 23 as preferred. Elongated openings or slots 23 are provided adjacent the ends 33 of links 23 and 25 and are adapted to receive the axles I5 adjacent the ends of the respective carriages III, II and I2. In the case of carriage I2, in which the link 25 is integral with the carriage, the channel I3 for axle I5 is also elongated, for a purpose to be described. However, if link 25 is not integral with carriage I2, it is not necessary to elongate the channel.

Slots 2'! may be provided in the carriages sufiiciently wide to receive the links 23 and 25 as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. At the closed end of the slots 27, there is a tapered abutment 28 with sloping portions 30.

The distances a, indicated in Fig. 1, between the centers of the several axles I5 are equaL The distances a should be less than twice the diameter of the wheels, so that the distance between the treads or peripheries 3| of adjacent wheels is less than a diameter of the wheels whereby a third Wheel may be supported between two adjacent wheels. In the form illustrated in the drawings, the distance between the peripheries 3| of adjacent successive wheels is equal to about half the diameter of the wheels, i. e. the radius thereof to give an attractive spaced proportion to the toy. However, the distance may be made greater or less as desired.

In the train arrangement of the toy shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the axles I5 for wheels I8 and are disposed at the outer or remote ends 32 of the elongated openings 28 in the link 23 as best shown in Fig. 4. Similarly, the axles I5 for the wheels 2| and 22 are in the remote ends 32 of the elongated openings 26 of the link 25. In these positions the spacing between the centers of the respective axles is the distance a as indicated in Fig. 1. Therefore, the distances between all the axles of the train are the same.

The tapered abutments 28 are disposed close to the ends 33 of the links 23 and 25 to abut said ends if they move horizontally when the apparatus is extended in a train. The abutments 28 limit the horizontal movement of the links and thereby the axles are maintained adjacent the ends 32 of the openings 23 of the links 23 and 25. By this means, the desired axial spac ing is maintained and the Wheels of adjacent carriages are prevented from coming into contact with each other if the toy is stopped abruptly. I

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the toy may be folded upon itself by inverting the carriage II upon the carriage ID, as indicated by the-arrows in Fig. 2, the carriage I I being pivoted about the axle I5 of the wheels I 8. As the carriage II moves into position above the carriage III, the wheels20 are received between and become sup ported by wheels I1 and I8, and Wheels 2| are supported between wheels I6 and II, in the man ner shown in Fig. 3. The carriage I2 is invertedon the carriage I I by being moved pivotally about the axle of wheels 2|. Thus, the pyramid arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is achieved.

When the toy is in the train arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the treads or peripheries 3| of all the wheels are spaced apart equally to permit free rotation. However, when the toy is folded into the pyramid position, it is necessary to change the spacing of the axles at the ends of adjacent carriages so that the peripheries of the wheels on such axles are brought into frictional engagement. For example, the peripheries 3| of wheels I8 and 20 must be brought into engagement and likewise the peripheries 3! of wheels 2| and 22 must be brought into engagement so that all the wheels of each tier engage and are supported by'two wheels of the next lower tier. To effect the change in the spacing, the axles I5 move to the inner ends of the openings 26 in the links 23 and 25. The movement of the axles from the remote ends 32 to the inner ends 35 of the links is only possible in the pyramid position. because the ends 33 of the links, in the position; shown in Fig. 3 and by the dot-dash line in Fig. 4, are out of line with the tapered abutments 28 and therefore the movement of the axles to theinner ends 35 is not prevented by abutment of the ends 33 against the tapered members 28. In

other words, when the links 23 and 25 are in the" horizontal positionin. which tn abutments 28 are in substantially" the same plane as the co-planar slots 25 and the ends 33 of the links, the abutments 28 prevent the outward movement of the ends 33 as the axles l move together. However, when the links are moved out of the horizontal position to a position such as indicated by the dot-dash lines in Fig. 4, the ends 33 readily pass the abutments 28.

Each elongated opening 26 has a length equal to half the distance the axles must move from the spacing a of the train arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2 to the spacing b of the pyramid arrangement in Fig. 3. Thus, by providing for axle ad justment at each of the elongated openings 26 adjacent the two ends 33 of the respective links 23 and 25, the ends 33 of the links cannot extend beyond the peripheries 3| of the wheels when the axles are in the b spacing position. This is so because in the train spacing the peripheries of the wheels have to be less than the diameter of the wheels in order to support wheels between them in the pyramid position, therefore, one half a distance which is less than the diameter must be less than the radius. I

It will be appreciated that in the position shown in Fig. 3, wheels 2| and will rotate clockwise when their supporting wheels I6, H and I8, with which they are in frictional contact, are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. The wheels 22 are supported by and are in frictional contact with wheels 2| and 20. Therefore, as the wheels 2| and are caused to rotate clockwise the wheels 22 rotate counterclockwise. The rotation of the wheels is effected by drawing the toy over a supporting surface such as a floor by means of a pull string 36. To enhance the attractiveness of the toy, the faces 31 of the wheels may be suitably ornamented with designs, figures or characters as indicated in Fig. 3, to accentuate the kaleidoscopic efiect resulting from the movement of the successive tiers of wheels. If desired, the peripheries 3| may also be suitably decorated. I

It will be appreciated that with the apparatus of this invention, no part of the faces of the wheels are obscured by exterior linkage means or retaining flanges as in prior devices.

It has been found that in the pyramid position, the toy has considerable stability and there is no tendency for the wheels to become disarranged by slipping laterally because very little space is left between the sides 33 of the links 23 and 25 and the sides 4|] of the slots 21 in the carriages. Whatever lateral movement might occur is not sufficient to cause the relatively wide treads 3| of the wheels to slip out of engagement with each other.

As further ornamentation, a bead 3| may be threaded on the end of the pull string 36.

As illustrated in the figures, the carriage l2 and the link 25 are integral and the channel I3, in the carriage l2, has an elongated opening corresponding to the opening 26 in link portion of the integral member to permit the axle l5 for the wheels 22 to shift from the spacing a to the spacing b at the desired times. However, it will be understood that the link 25 and the carriage l2 may be separate and the carriage may be made in the same form as the other carriages, for example, about the size of half of carriage ll. With such an arrangement the full advantage of the tapered abutment in the carriage slot woul be available to maintain wheels 22 in the counter-rotational desired spacing when the toy is inthe train form. Another alternative arrangement for carriage I2 is to have a separate link 25 of the'same form as link 23 and to use spacers on either side of. the link to maintain the wheels in the proper axial spaced relationship to each other. The spacers may be beads, small cylinders or blocks with channels therethrough large enough for the axle. The spacers may be arranged to rotate with the wheels, or not, as desired. I

In the last mentioned form and also-in the form illustrated it will be noted that even without the tapered abutment holding the axle for wheels 22 in remote end of the link 25 when the carriages are in a train, the wheels 22 and 2| do not come into contact with each other because of the action of the tapered abutment 28 on carriage maintaining the axle for wheels 2| in the remote end 32 of the link 25.

The toy may be folded upon itself to form several arrangements in addition to the symmetrical pyramid shown and described and has the advantage that it can be enjoyed as a building toy or a pull toy. Although all the parts are connected together so that they may not become mislaid, the toy may be arranged in a variety of ways because of its articulation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle of operation of this invention, together with the elements which I now consider the best embodiment thereof. However, it should be understood that the structure disclosed is only illustrative and the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wheeled pull toy having at least two carriages, pairs of wheels having equal axial spacing on their respective axles and adapted to support the carriages, a link for connecting the car- I riages in a spaced tran arrangement and being adapted to permit the carriages to be folded upon each other with the carriages being supported in spaced relation by the wheels of one carriage engaging the wheels of the other carriage, each successive carriage having one less pair of Wheels than its predecessor in the train, the link between the carriages being formed with two elongated slots adjacent its ends, each slot being adapted to receive an axle of wheels at the adjacent ends of the respective carriages, the slots being sufiiciently long so that when the axles are in the remote ends of the slots the wheels mounted on said axles are spaced apart and when the axles are at the adjacent ends of the slots the peripheries of the wheels mounted on the axles are in frictional contact, abutments on the respective carriages adjacent the ends of the links being adapted to engage the said ends of the links to maintain the axles in the remote ends of the slots only when the carriages are arranged in a train.

2. A wheeled pull toy having at least two carriages, pairs of wheels having equal axial spacing on their respective axles and adapted to support the carriages, a link for connecting the carriages in a spaced train arrangement and being adapted to permit the carriages to be folded upon each other with the carriages being supported in spaced relation by the wheels of one carriage engaging the wheels of the other carri'age, each successive carriage having one less pair of wheels than its predecessor in the train wherein the link for connecting the carriages is formed with two substantially co-planar elongated slots adjacent its ends, said slots being sufficiently large to receive the axles of the wheels at the adjacent ends of the respective carriages, the slots being sufliciently long so that when the axles are in the remote ends of the slots the wheels mounted on the axles are spaced apart and when the axles are at the adjacent ends of the slots the peripheries of the wheels mounted on the said axles are in frictional contact, abutments on the respective carriages adjacent the ends of the link, the abutments being substan-- tially co-planar with the slots in the link when the carriages are in a horizontal train and in that position being adapted to engage the ends of the link and thereby maintain the axles in the remote ends of the slots, and the abutments being out of co-planar relation with the slots when the carriages are moved to the folded positlon whereby the abutments no longer engage the ends of the link and the axles are permitted to move to the adjacent ends of the slots so that the wheels on the axlesrnove into frictional engagement.

3. In a wheeled toy having a plurality of wheels arranged in'equaliy spaced axial pairs and having means for changing the distance between predetermined pairs to permit the peripheries of the wheels of said predetermined pairs to move into frictional contact, the combination, comprising, at least two carriage members adapted to be arranged in a horizontaltrain or to be folded upon each other, parallel axles connected at equally spacedintervals along each carriage, each successive carriage in the train having one less axle than its predecessor, wheels being, mounted in axial pairs on the several axles, the wheels on each of the axles being equally spaced axially, the treads on corresponding wheels on the several axles being in line, the diameter of said wheels being such that the space between the peripheries of succcessive wheels is less than said diameter, a link formed with at least two co-planar closed slots, each of the slots being sufiiciently large to receive an axle and to connect an axle of one carriage to an axle of the next succeeding carriage, the distance between the remote end of one slot with respect to the other slot, and the the remote end of the other slot with respect to the first mentioned slot being suificient to space the axles contained therein apart a distance equal to the spaced intervals of the axles connected to the carriages, and the distance between adjacent ends of the two slots permitting the axles to move together so that they are spaced apart the distance of the said wheel diameter so that the wheels mounted on the axles are in contact, and abutments fixed on the carriages in spaced relation to the axles of the corresponding carriages, which are positioned in the slots of the link, said abutments being adjacent the ends of the link and substantially co-planar to the slots when the carriages are in a train, whereby the axles are maintainednear the remote ends of the slots by engagement of the ends of the link with the abutments, and said abutments being out of co-planarrelationship with the slots when the carriages are in the folded position whereby the axles may move to the adjacent ends of the slots so that the wheels on said axles move into frictional engagement.

4. A toy train formed of several carriages supported by wheels equally spaced axially and along the carriages, links connecting the carriages permitting the wheels at the ends of adjacent carriages to move into frictional contact, each successive carriage being adapted to be inverted and folded upon its predecessor, the carriages being supported in spaced relation by the wheels of one carriage being supported by the wheels of the predecessor carriage, each of the carriages being formed with an opening at the ends adjacent successive carriages, the openings being suifieiently large to receive the ends of the links, each of the links being formed with elongated slots adjacent each end, an axle extending across each opening in each carriage, each slot of the links being adapted to receive the axle extending across each opening, the distance between the remote end of one slot with respect to the other slot, and the remote end of the other slot with respect to the first mentioned slot being suiiicient to space the axles contained therein apart a distance equal to the spaced intervals of the axles fixed to the carriages, and the distance between the adjacent ends of the respective slots permit;- ting the axles to move together so that the wheels mounted on said axles are in frictional contact, abutments on the carriages in spaced relation to the axles extending across each opening, one of said abutments being adjacent at least one end of each link and substantially co-planar to the slots when the carriages are in a train whereby the axles in the slots are maintained near the remote ends of the slots by engagement of the ends of the links with the abutinents, and said abutments being out of co-planar relationship with the slots when the carriages are in the folded position whereby the abutments do not engage the ends of the links, and the axles therefore being permitted to move to the adjacent ends of the slots so that the wheels on said axles move into frictional engagement.

PAUL S. BOLGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,566,495 Mallard Dec. 22, 1925 2,357,179 Ebeling Aug. 29, 1944 2,383,232 Ayres Aug. 21, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Toys and Novelties, page 91, February 1946. (Copy in Scientific Library, U. 8. Patent Office.) 

